Ryan Pace isn’t telling you anything. Best get over it. Secrecy is something he values more than most things. So the only way to get a gauge on what he might do on April 26th when the NFL draft begins is by figuring out the best Chicago Bears draft targets. This is a problem because different people might have different interpretations of the types of players who are best for them.
Everybody has an opinion, as the saying goes. So what happens when somebody gets the opinions of guys who get paid to do this stuff for a living? Dan Pompeii of The Athletic endeavored to find out. He got in touch with a number of scouts and front office people, asking them about what the Bears could do, will do and won’t do.
There were certainly some surprising revelations. Not the least of which was the unpopular view that Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, the best prospect in the draft to many, isn’t the best fit for them. Not because of his talent so much as he’d be bad value for the Bears taking him that high. Instead, the opinions seemed to funnel elsewhere.
Chicago Bears draft targets are all about that defense
Outside of Nelson the cast of names the experts connected to the Bears was exclusively on defense. If one were to go by both talent and fit for the system, the list narrowed to four names that were the most likely.
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“Remember, the Bears essentially have the third pick in the draft based on their assumed intentions. And there are four players who are ideal fits: Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Florida State safety Derwin James, Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith and Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward. That’s why the Bears are in a good place.”
Truth be told that is a strong list of talent, and also one featuring tons of versatility. All four of those players could probably fit in any scheme and do well. Under a proven coach like Vic Fangio? The sky would be the limit. What the experts had to say about each prospect? That’s bound to get fans fired up.
Fitzpatrick
“He can do everything,” one scout said. “He will get everyone lined up. You don’t see him out of position. He’s a rare football player.”
James
“He’s physical, mean, aggressive and explosive,” a player personnel director said. “He’s an alpha male. He is fast and can cover tight ends and backs. I love him.”
Smith
“He’s a bulldog, in your face,” the college scouting director said. “He’s hardcore. He finds the ball.”
Ward
“He has a unique ability to lock guys down,” the player personnel director said. “You can put him on Antonio Brown.”
Put simply, the Bears are in a good position. Unless they completely trip over themselves or decide to get cute (Shea McClellin anyone?) they should add a front line talent to an already good defense. There is one small problem with that list. Now, this is probably nitpicking a bit but the fact is none of those names solve the Bears’ biggest issue.
That being their edge rush position. They’re in a precarious spot. Leonard Floyd, Aaron Lynch and Sam Acho are their three best options at present. The first is coming off a knee injury, the second has 2.5 sacks the past two years, and the last is over 30. Worse still, this upcoming class is considered thin at the position. Can they afford to ignore it even for one round?
A tough call. If it goes that way though, the Bears will get a good player.
